Virginie Esain, Ph.D., (Postdoctoral Fellow)

Virginie completed her Ph.D in Developmental Biology in the laboratory of Dr. P. Charnay in Paris, France. She studied the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in the neural patterning of the hindbrain, using the zebrafish as a model system. Virginie joined Trista's lab in May 2010 and is interested in the role of inflammation-related compounds on development and homeostasis of hematopoietic stem cells . She received an award from the Philippe Foundation in March 2012 and a travel award from ISEH in August 2012. Outside the lab, Virginie enjoys (still) being a tourist in America and experimenting in the kitchen. Currently: Field Application Scientist, Meso Scale Discovery.

Wanda Kwan, Ph.D., (Postdoctoral Fellow)

Wanda received her BSc in Pharmacology from the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, Canada). After graduating, she spent one year with Dr. Torsten Nielson at the Vancouver General Hospital studying the role of histone deacetylase inhibitors in synovial sarcoma. Wanda obtained her PhD at UCSF, working with Dr. Paul Muchowski to study the role of microglia and the immune system in Huntington’s disease. At UCSF, she was awarded the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) predoctoral fellowship. Wanda joined the North lab in February 2012, transitioning her interest from the immune cells in the brain to the hematopoietic system. Specifically, her project focuses on the role of the nervous system during hematopoietic stem cells development, maintenance, and regeneration. Wanda's research is supported by a postdoctoral fellowship grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Outside of the lab, Wanda enjoys taking jazz dance lessons, cooking, and spending time with her bunny, Oreo. She also loves shoes.

Currently: Scientist, Denali Therapeutics, San Francisco, CA.

Mauricio Cortes, Ph.D., (Postdoctoral Fellow)

Mauricio completed his B.A. in Chemistry at Kenyon College in Ohio, where he studied electron transfer rates of photo-inducible metal complexes. After graduating Mauricio attended The University of Chicago, where he earned a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology under the supervision of Dr. Nancy Schwartz. His graduate studies focused on the role of cellular sulfation in murine development, specifically the importance of proteoglycan sulfation in modulating hedgehog signaling. Mauricio joined the North lab in July 2010, and he is interested in dissecting signaling pathways important to HSC development and homeostasis, with the ultimate goal in applying findings to the better understanding and treatment of blood malignancies.

Currently: Scientist, CRISPR Therapeutics.

Isaura Frost (HIP intern, Research Technician)

Isaura joined the North lab as part of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) Internship Program (HIP) in 2013 while an undergrad at Purdue University. She returned to the lab in the summer of 2014 and joined us as a technician following graduation in 2015. Isaura initiated the ongoing investigations of inflammatory regulation of hematopoietic stem cell production in the vertebrate embryo.

Michael Dovey, PhD (Postdoctoral Fellow)

Mike completed his PhD thesis at Harvard Medical School in the laboratory of Leonard Zon in 2008. He joined the North laboratory in 2009 and began ongoing studies into the impact of extrinsic modifiers on HSC formation. Mike’s project focused on impact of estrogenic regulation on HSC specification.

Currently: Associate Director, US Decision Support, Biogen

Lauren Harris (Research Technician)

Lauren joined the North laboratory in the summer of 2010 after graduating from Colby College. Her project examined the impact of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Hypoxia inducible factor 1a on blood stem cell production in the zebrafish embryo. Lauren earned her Veterinary Medical Degree (VMD) at University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 2015.

Christie (Sung-Eun) Lim (Graduate Student)

Christie received her B.A. degree in Biological Sciences from Cornell University. She is currently a graduate student in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences program at Harvard. Christie joined the lab in September 2012 and is interested in understanding the mechanisms regulating the development and maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells. Ph.D. awarded in June of 2016. Outside of the lab, Christie enjoys exploring Boston, cooking, and playing the violin and piano.

Kelli Carrol (Graduate Student)

Kelli is a graduate student in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences program. She completed her undergraduate degree at Davidson College in North Carolina where she majored in Biology with a concentration in Neuroscience. Kelli joined the lab in 2010 and is interested in the specification of the hematopoietic niche. She is funded by a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship as well as the Vranos Family Graduate Research Fellowship in Developmental and Regenerative Biology. She also received a travel grant for the International Society for Experimental Hematology Meeting in Amsterdam in 2012. Outside of lab, Kelli enjoys reading, hiking, cooking, and traveling

Kelsey Natsuhara (Undergraduate Student)

Kelsey joined the North lab in the fall of 2011 to conduct her independent thesis research. Her project examined the role of Matrix Metalloproteinases in hematopoietic stem cell production and function. Kelsey graduated from Harvard University in 2013 and her thesis project was awarded the Hoopes Prize.

Michelle Vedder Drew (Zebrafish Facility Manager)

Michelle received her B.T. from SUNY Cobleskill College of Agriculture and Technology in December of 2011. She studied fisheries and wildlife and earned a degree in Wildlife Management. Upon graduating from college, she entered a ten-month Americorps program through the Student Conservation Association and worked at Hudson River Park in Manhattan as an educator. She has also previously worked with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation as a threatened and endangered species intern and the United States Fisheries and Wildlife Service Wildlife Refuge System as a visitor services intern. Michelle joined the lab in 2012 as the Zebrafish Facility Manager at BIDMC. She plans on attending graduate school and studying entomology. When she is not spending time with the fishes at work, she enjoys birding, herping, singing, and reading.

Currently: Education Coordinator, Mud Creek Learning Center.

Greg Frechette, (Research Technician)

Greg joined the North Lab in 2011 after graduating from Bowdoin College with a B.A. in biology. He worked on a project examining the role of glucose metabolism on the proliferation and function of hematopoietic stem cells. When not at the bench he attempted to fix broken equipment in the fish facility. In his free time, Greg likes to play soccer and golf.

Currently: Medical student at UVM

James Harris, (Research Technician)

James was the first person to join the North laboratory in the summer of 2008 following graduation from Bowdoin College. His research began our continuing analysis of the role of metabolic regulation in the timing and magnitude of hematopoietic stem cell production in the vertebrate embryo.